Herbert salutes his side’s work-rate as Toome set up Cork-Tipp decider

TOOMEVARA manager Pat Herbert paid tribute to his sides workrate after they saw off the challenge of Mount Sion in yesterday’s Munster Club SHC semi-final.

Herbert said that the Waterford champions pushed them to the limit, just as they did in the Munster final of two years ago which Toome also won — also by a solitary point.

He said: “It took a lot of guts and spirit in the second half to win this semi-final and if we can repeat that in the Munster final we’ll be alright.”

Herbert said they felt good at half time despite being six points down.

“The way we have been playing in the second half of all our games this year we just knew that we could still do it and we did,” he said.

Herbert said he was hopeful of having some big names back for the final.

“We’ll reassess our position between now and Sunday week but I would expect that we’ll have both Paddy O’Brien and Padraig Hackett back for that one,” said Herbert. “They are long established regulars and I couldn’t overstate the loss they were to us today,” he said.

Selector Roger Ryan said John O’ Brien’s goal was crucial. “Even with the benefit of it however we still had a battle on our hands against a very good opposition,” he said.

The former Tipp full forward said that while he hasn’t seen Erins Own playing this year he knows that they cannot be other than a good outfit having come out on top in what he described as “a fiercely competitive” Cork championship.

Ryan said that for some members of the team this campaign represents a definite last chance for them to win All-Ireland glory with the club. He wasn’t naming names but one suspects he had Tommy Dunne and fullback Tony Delaney uppermost in mind.

“We are a good team, better this year than last, and if any players deserve to win an All-Ireland club title it is the likes of Tommy Dunne,” said Ryan. “No one, least of all the Cork champions, will hand one to us, however, so we are going to have go out and do it ourselves on the field of play.”

John O’Brien, goalscoring hero for Toomevara, criticised the decision to play yesterday’s Munster Club SHC semi-final against Mount Sion.

“The ancient game (hurling) was never meant to be played in the kind of conditions we had to cope with out there today,” said O’Brien.

With a Munster final date against Cork’s Erins Own now awaiting them on Sunday week, O’Brien is in no doubt about them having what it takes to “complete the job in Munster”.

“Any team that comes out of Cork must be respected, and respect is something we’ll give Erins Own plenty of,” he said.